Cyprus has emerged as one of the European Union’s clearest examples of how the benefits of the energy transition are not being shared evenly.
A Wider Divide Than Most Of Europe
New Eurostat data show that 30.3% of Cypriots not at risk of poverty or social exclusion lived in homes that had undergone energy efficiency improvements during the previous five years. Among those at risk of poverty or social exclusion, the figure dropped to 16.7%.
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The resulting gap of 13.6 percentage points ranks among the three widest in the EU.
Only the Netherlands recorded a larger disparity, with 63.3% of people not at risk of poverty living in upgraded homes compared with 45.3% of those at risk, a difference of 18 percentage points. Denmark followed with a gap of 13.5 percentage points, as 36.4% of higher-income households had benefited from energy efficiency improvements versus 22.9% of vulnerable households.
The EU Picture Still Favors Better-Off Households
Across the EU, 23.9% of people lived in homes that had undergone energy efficiency improvements over the previous five years.
The overall figure, however, masks a persistent inequality. Only 17.4% of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion lived in upgraded homes, compared with 25.6% of those not at risk.
For lower-income households, access to improvements such as better insulation, more efficient heating systems and upgraded windows can significantly reduce energy bills while improving resilience to future price increases.
Netherlands Leads, Italy Trails
The Netherlands recorded the highest overall share of residents living in energy-efficient homes, at 60.5%, followed by Denmark at 34.0%. France and Slovenia shared third place, with 33.3% each.
Italy ranked last at just 2.6%, followed by Malta at 7.8% and Greece at 9.5%.
A Challenge For Europe’s Green Transition
The figures suggest that while energy efficiency upgrades are becoming more common across Europe, access remains uneven both between and within member states.
For policymakers, the challenge extends beyond improving buildings. Ensuring that lower-income households can benefit from the energy transition will be essential if Europe wants to reduce both emissions and energy poverty at the same time.
